Red Eyes in the Shadows
by Phobian Deimoses
Summary: When one comes across a grimm horde you never know what will happen or what will change. The son of a merchant, Khajag does. He knows all to well, when they meet a horde bad things happen and his life changes forever, he changes forever. Where does he go? How does he meet? What does he do? Read and find out after they see Red Eyes in the Shadows. Newest addition to the Diaverse.
1. Son of a Merchant

The cart was warm when he woke. His eyes opening to the view if a canvas covered caravan, the wooden bed along with all the merchandise. Crates were stacked and secured along the sides and rose to the canvas ceiling. Groaning the boy, in a small voice, said, "M...mommy...". The boy was blond haired and bright blue eyed. His hair ruffled and messy from his sleep on the thatched hay bed. "Mommy." He said louder barely able to hear himself over the sound of the wheels on the hard packed dirt ground. He cart rocked to one side as the cart ran over a rock buried in the ground along their path.

A woman poked her head in through the front of the cart. Her head parting an opening that lead to a bench where both the man and woman sat steering a pair of horses clad armor. The woman had bright red hair and vibrant green eyes. Her pale skin reflecting some slight sunlight from what came through the open flaps, "Morning sunshine." She said with a whole hearted smile. Her teeth were white and shiny.

The boy smiled at the woman before him, "Where we at mommy? " He asks the woman a small hand moving to on of his proportionally big eyes. "About halfway between Vacuo and Vale." The woman said still smiling at the child who replied with, "Have we passed through Heath's village yet?" He asked simply. The boys mother shakes her head her hair bounced with the motion. The boy let's out a small sigh before saying, "When we gonna get there? " to which his mother said, " A couple days. We've got three stops and a meeting before we get there. " She finished.

The boy stood up in the cart after having given his mother a simple nod. Having stood up he waddled to his mother, waddling only because of the cart's rocking motions of back and forth. His mother extended a hand to the boy, who I'm turn took the hand and moved out into the morning. He looked to his left, his father sat on the bench and to his right was his mother. His father had dark hair and dark tanned skin compared to his mother's brightness. His dark hair had once been bright blonde and his skin just as fair. Though after years of driving a cart and two horses it had darkened in the sun. "Morning daddy." The boy said. His father turned his head and greeted him a soft smile, "Morning Khajag, how's my boy today?" His father asked,, "How's my Blue eyes doing?".

The boy smiled up at the man, a big grin showing lots of teeth, his eyes squinted slightly with it, "I'm good, you? " He replied. The man chuckled slightly at his sons enthusiasm, "Fine." The man said, his voice deep and strong. The boy nodded and looked up at his mother who had watched them now turned to watch the horses move along pulling the cart to which held all the merchandise that was in high demand. His parents were very skilled traders, having managed to get some amazing items and trinkets combined with the essentials that people would buy. Though none of these things paled in comparison to their chests of books.

These books were the only thing that interested Khajag. They were a field of knowledge, it didn't matter what subject. He liked reading, he liked learning. His parents had even put back the best books in a chest just for him. Recently his selection had been on dust and semblances. These were enlightened him, they taught him little of what was know about either. The books were large and old, pages worn and dusty from age. Such things didn't matter to the boy, he just wanted to read. He looked to his mother and then his father and once to the horses who were pulling them and the cart with ease. "I'm gonna go inside." His mother smiled and his dad ruffled his bright hair before he stood and moved into the canvas covered cart.

Moving into the back of the cart heading for the old chest. The boy unbuckled the snaps and opened it with a grunt. Holding it ajar he peered at its contents, several old book were inside. He reached in pulling out a heavy issue based on dust. He had just started the issue now only a few chapters into it. He released the lid it closing rapidly with a heavy thud. Setting the heavy book on the lid he jumped up on top of the lid sitting on it. He held the book in hand placing it on his lap and opening it moving to the saved page he had last stopped on. He smiled and set to reading his eyes moving along the lines of informative words. This is how he spent his day, how he spent his time in the cart, filling his head with massive amount of knowledge.

His parent were proud of their son. A small boy, five years of age and still able to read better and more than most adults. Not quite a genius but there were things the boy knew much on, such as how trade works or when was the best time to harvest plants, but those were simply things he had read or picked up on as the son of two merchants. He only read what was available and KY knew as much as the books had to offer him, and thanks to the wide variety of books he knew a little about everything. His mother looked to his father and leaned forward slightly and kissed him gently in his check and leaned back. The man smiled at this though didn't shift his eyes from the road occasionally checking the forest around them. His eyes searched for the red of the Grimm. Any flutter of movement he would catch, unless it was came up on the road. A single bed wolf sat in the middle of the road having been crossing it before they had happened across it. His father stopped the cart and reached for his weapon as did the mother.

The Beowolf stopped in the road and looked at the cart and growled deeply. It was terrible and dark sound that came from the beasts throat. Khajag stopped reading and dropped the book in terror having recognized the noise. He held his breath and he waited and hr listened and heard a howl. The Beowolf arched it's back and looked to the sky and it released a loud echoing howl, an alert to all in the area. A crack fired out as the mother blast the beast silencing it with a single shot from her weapon. A killing shot, though to late as many many grimm called out in response to the one's call. Red eyes filled the tree line surrounding the cart. Noise flooded through the woods, different grimm announcing themselves to the caravan.


	2. End of the Merchant

Chapter 2: End of the Merchants

Piercing the noise was, blasting it's was through the leaves and foliage of the forest. Echoing in their skulls were the howls and calls of the grim. Their eyes filled with the dark red gaze that meant eminent death and pain. Though this would be the case should these be ordinary merchants. These merchants were not to be triffled with. Bandits avoided their caravan, those they came across fled in terror at their coming. The dog were well know amount hunter and commoner alike, simply as the merchants. Always making time, always arriving on schedule. No man, beast, or grim stood in their way.

Khajag, sitting in the back of the cart trembled. The noise was painful, never before had he heard this magnitude of calls, never had this volume been reached in all his travels with his parents. His fear was immense, his heart throbbing, limbs trembling, hair standing on end, he sat silently on the chest the book on the ground below him. His mother pokes her head into the back of the cart her face blank and calm showing no emotion. "Honey, there's gonna be a delay." She says to him simply having no tone in here voice. Looking at her, face caked with fear and panic he stared silently though his mother understood what was meant by it.

Coming back through the canvas she got off the cart coming to a stand on the ground. Her hair down past her shoulders she carefully and without question ties it up in a plain ponytail. Looking the elastic band around her hair a couple times before fluffing it vainly. An instant later her face was serious, holding her sword in hand examining it carefully she twirled it once in her hand before looking to the glowing red eyes coming from deep with in the woods. He sword came to a rest at her side it's blade slashing through the air with a slight whistle. The blade was long and curved having only a single edge. A wakazashi, much like a short katana, it has different color sections each it's own layer or dust atop a durable steel core.

"This should be fun... hun." The father said in his deep calm voice. He held his weapon, a staff, in his right hand. The staff stood tall, a standard six foot tall. It was marked by bizzare patterns and markings making it seem tribal. Though as old as it looked the staff was anything but, it was weighted perfectly, a perfect balance allowing absolute control from the weilder. Though being a staff it was also much more. But this 'more' was often unused, unneeded by the father.

Twirling the staff in hand he set it ready and made his stance. He looked to his spouse, the woman too had set herself ready. The blade risen and ready for strikes and slashes with the multicolored blade. "Indeed it shall love." She said looking into the red eyes that filled the tree line around them. They simply waited, waited for the beasts to step forward and into sight so they may strike them down. The pair were absolute in their abilities, they had faced down greater numbers than this and walked away with only a broken wheel on their cart. This time however, they had much more precious cargo hidden in that cart.

A single paw broke through the surrounding darkness. Big and furry it was. A large beast it belonged to, and like so did the bone chilling roar that the owner of the paw let loose. The roar shook the trees making leaves tremble on the branches before several lost grip and fluttered to the ground. Walking into the light was a large dwarfing Ursa, it's eyes as red as blood and fur as dark as it's intentions. Dropping down to its paws it examined the area once over before charging out. This Ursa was the first challenger, likely the second strongest creature in the area considering that it came first. A summing that the first is wise enough to have the second best test the strength of the opponents.

Running forward it's large heavy steps shook the ground only slightly as it moved forward. The man and woman only glanced at each other before vanishing from sight. Their speed inconceivable as the appeared on the opposite side of the beast from where they had started from. A large gash appeared in a large boney plate on the beasts back as well as several impact cracks from where a blunt on best had struck it. Roaring in pain the beast slides to a stop before standing up on both legs. It's height increasing to twice the original it bellows it's bone chilling roar once more only to be silenced once more with a blade in its neck and it's skull smashed in by a blunt object. Falling to the ground the Ursa began to dissipate, fading away into nothing.

Once more the man and woman set themselves waiting for another assault, no wing that they had been sized up the waited and watched. "A test of skill." The father said and received a nod in agreement from his lover. "There are being lead to fight us, not to kill, but to battle us." He continued only to be interrupted by a small pack of beowolves charging forth from the woods. Not nearly as powerful as the Ursa they made up for strength with numbers. The barked and called to one another as they advanced on the caravan. The man stiffed before charging forward followed by the woman who was behind him but staggered off to the side. The two forces collide, the father making the first blow by spinning his clockwise and throwing a bit of torque into a strike which landed underneath a beowolf's chin jerking his head back and breaking it's neck as well as sending it into the air. The woman, knowing the beast was dead leapt up into the air and rode the body to the ground as she charged her weapons abilities. The blade glowing white as the body landed amidst the beast she swung her blade in a horizontal arc blasting many of the beowolves with a dust wave. The energy made the beasts glow white be for becoming hollow husks from the white dusts attack.

Leaping to her was the father, his staff at his side as they were circled by the grim that launched an attack. They were waiting for them, one for the other, watching with their eyes not missing a single movement they watched. Both sides keeping their opponent in view. The beowolves, being impatient creatures, rushed inwards, coming down upon the man and woman. The man stood as the woman crouched, squaring down low her sword. The man began Twirling hus staff over his head, spinning it rapidly in the air as the beasts closed in around them. The first one to Com into range is met with a strike to the jaw and head from a high velocity moving staff. The jaw shattered and the head gives way blasting apart sending bits of skull and grey matter flying.

On the other side of the man was the woman how moved quickly, bringing her blade up from the ground slicing through a creature with little effort. The duo strike at the beasts quickly. The man slamming his staff into skulls and bodies sending them flying or killing instantly while at the same time defending his partner. The woman as well killing and slashing the beasts to pieces while defending her partner. A beast to close to the other was met with a slash or a bash. The pairing was skilled and near perfect. Their back to back strategy, defending the other while not attacking worked wondering in the situation. No grim that rushed them got close enough to land a strike or even follow through with one. Bringing the last Beowolf to its death was made by a quick cut to the neck from the woman's blade.

A moment passed, allowing the pair to gather themselves before the eyes illuminated the shadows of the forest all came into view. Beowolf, Ursa, Boarbatusks, and Deathstalker entered the clearing. Dozens of the beast and shifting and moving waiting to attack. The last of the beasts, a three headed King Tiajitu, appeared slithering out of the forest coming to a risen up position. It looked the area over, examining it before releasing a loud hiss. This hiss seemed to be some sort of signal for once it happened the creatures moved. They charged forward, aimed for the man and woman who stood composed and ready to make their moves.

Inside the caravan Khajag shook crazily, he could feel the presence of the grim. He felt their energy and numbers, he knew there were many, both weak and strong. He was simply terrified, scares stiff. He sat atop the the chest that held his book, waiting for the fight to be over. He would know it was done when the feeling and noise stopped, when his mother and father returned, until then he sat atop the box waiting for their return.

The fought in sync, the woman would strike a beast, wounding if not killing and the man would follow up with a finishing blow unless the beast died, then he would move onto another beast and they would repeated the process. The moved back and forth rapidly smashing and slashing at the grim. Their skills aiding them to the maximum the fought and killed and defended when waiting for openings as the grimm assaulted them. They struck out when able though remained on the defensive as the beasts attempted to end them. Falling slowly but surely the numbers dropped, one by one they fell to the blade or staff.

Tired, they retreat backwards to help gain some time to recuperate before attacking once more. Standing side by side the woman charged her blade before swinging it out in a wide arc casting out energy that struck and ended many of the grimm. Looking to the man she nodded, a signal that the both knew. The man focus a moment before the ground shook and shifted. His aura flared as the ground rose up. Earthy columns coming from the ground, the undulated and moved in the air like tendrils. He moved his hands about the air and the tendrils followed his will. The began striking the ground with them, crushing and smashing the beasts. Unable to move or anything else besides stand and control the massive object the woman stood in front of him protecting the man as the grimm he missed pressed forward. Keeping them at bay as the father set to attacking the mass she did all she could before retreating back to him. His aura sputtered and faded it's use complete her gasped for air harshly.

The creatures pressed onward their numbers halved from the devastating attack that had been launched by him. Khajag felt the drastic drop and came to. His mind clearing somewhat as he came to a stand now off the chest. Walking over to the siding of the caravan he pulled back a small portion of the canvas and looked out into the battle seeing his parents fight the sea of black fur and boney outgrowths. From his view he could see there were still many many grim and also a massive three headed abomination. The beast had just begin moving, it went carefully. Slithering across the ground it's heads hidden in the mass of creatures. Khajag watched in terror as his parents slashed and bashed away at the grim.

The pair slayed grim left and right as the were being forced backwards, closer and closer to the cart with their son. The creatures now taking notice of the cart more than desired. Several broke off to investigate and we're only met with a swift bladed death. The mothers defense was absolute even as grimm surrounded them. The threw themselves at the couple in an attempt to kill. Them as their blood lust rose. The couple was tiring, becoming slow. Striking a single grimm multiple times before being able to take it down. This slowness aloud a single Deathstalker time to get close to the caravan. Crawling to it it spotted the little face of Khajag how stood frozen in place from terror. It roared out a call or victory and reared it's golden tail back aimed to strike. Screaming in agony as she spotted the poised creature her body turned black and sunk into the ground and in a fraction. If a second she appeared in front of the beast arms spread wide. The beast noticed this and forgot about the boy as it locked onto it's new target. Driving it's stinger downward it impaled the woman center chest and slammed her back into the cart the stinger run through her entirety. The cart creaked and gave way collapsing backwards on itself as the beasts tail knocked it backwards.

Khajag laid under the rumble shifting slightly able to see through the ruined cart. He could see his mother and the Deathstalker as the beast lifted her body with the stinger embedded in her and shook her wildly. Her sword still in hand in glee once more and the beast stopped. Swinging the blade a massive multi colored wave emited from blasting into the scorpion. Screaming in pain and in unison was the father and the Deathstalker. The man spotted his wife and the cart both in terrible shape. He dashed his way towards her body as it fell to the ground stinger still in her chest. The body of the beast however, had a massive gash in it allowing complete visibility through it. The man bashed his way through the crowded mass of grimm before he made it to his with, who was still breathing. Looking over her he pulled the tail from its fatal position and looked her over. She smiled at him once before her faced turned pale as she attempted to point as something behind him. Misunderstanding her he took her hand in his and stared into her eyes as they went dark..

The snake, rising up behind him towered over the man. Many times his height it cast a massive shadow over the man who turned around to met the beast with rage in his eyes. A rage that quickly became nothing as in a blur of motion the man was snapped up, half his torso in the Tiajitu's massive middle head mouth. The man's legs flailed about in agony and terror as the two side heads each took a leg in their mouths and promptly removed them in a quick jerking of their heads. Blood poured from the stumps that were his legs as the grimm released him fro. His grasp the man falling to the ground in a blood covered mess of things. All of this, every action and happening was all in sight of little Khajag. He watched his mother impale and his father dismember before him. His eyes glazing over with pure panic and fear. He was motionless, not even trembling as he was so shocked. His mother before him and his father and pieces not far from her. He watched as the beasts roared in victory as they vegan mutilating the bodies, pulling them apart, tearing at them ripping them to pieces. Beowolf, Ursa, Boarbatusk, and Deathstalker alike. Desecration the corpses that were his parents.

Slowly but surely the grim lost interest in the bodies and dissipated I to the woods, all going a different way having over looked Khajag. He remained under the rubble, even after the last Beowolf walked away. He simply couldn't move. He could barely breath he was in such shock. He just stared ahead and the mess that were bodies, the now disfigured and disassembled pieced and parts of living things. Not shedding a tear he laud under the wooden carnage that had once been his hone and was now his prison.


	3. Echo

Night fell quickly on the world, its darkness spreading across the sky without hesitation. the sun setting and casting its orange glow across the sky before the deep dark blue over took pushing it back down beneath the horizon marking the eventual coming of a new day. To Khajag however, these things meant nothing, not the sun , the moon, stars, or even other creatures as they moved about the rubble of the caravan looking to make a new home in the crashed cart. Creatures, such as squirrels, would move into it and eventually running off upon finding Khajag still alive inside the wooden prison. Khajag hadn't moved an inch since he watched his mother and father slaughtered and then dismembered beyond recognition. Their bits and pieces strode across the battle field. he simply stared at it, his eyes glazed over. The boy was in shock, his mind couldn't comprehend the atrocities that he had just witnessed. his father being pulled apart like a doll when a child became a little to rough with it. His mother having a massive stinger ran through her like a literal human pincushion. Even after their deaths the grimm were not done with them; they proceeded to mutilate the bodies of his parents, their pieces now littering the ground staining it red with their blood.

The boy remained in the rubble of the cart still unable to move. It wasn't because of the weight of the cart but because of his shock. He likely wouldn't have even twitched if it hadn't had been for the clacking of hooves on the hard ground that he heard. That was all it was, a twitch, a simply flicker off movement all because of a simple sound, that being a horse moving in his direction. The noise seemed to grow and become much more frequent, not because it was speeding up but because there were more of them. Several bands of people traveled outside the kingdom walls, moving g from place to place as the avoid the grimm. This group were not merchants or frontiers men, these were rough looking scoundrels, bandits. Armed to the teeth these men were, riding on the back of armored horses these men neared closer and closer to the ruined caravan that would be easy pickings and their kind of style for raiding, easy, messy, and opposition free.

The men moved in a loose but mark able formation. Men clad in armor and heavy weaponry on the outside while lightly armored men wielding ranged weapons stuck close together on the inside. This formation allowed the men's tanks to take most if not all surprise attacks and allow the heavy hitting ranged fighters to make their moves. But this was not a full party, this was only about seven men, five being in heavy metal armors while the two on the inside wore leather bound clothing. The big men had large weapons on their backs, a large hammer like device, two long blades swords, a massive mace object, and a single dual edged battle axe. The man with the axe lead the party, he wore the thickest armor and was helmed. His helmet bore two large horn like objects that were meant to mimic the boney spines of a grimm, though it failed as the bones had yellowed and grown old.

The large man leading the pack shouts to the rest upon spotting the gore and ruined caravan, "WRECKAGE UP AHEAD!", this statment was followed by the tightening of the formation along with a quite audible shout of excitement by the men, the loudest of them all being the youngest of lads. The men seem to glance away once they see the brutal gore and left overs that the grimm had left there, almost ignoring it completely as they turn their backs to the gore and face the caravan. Jumping down from his horse was the leader. He drew his axe from his back and began poking at the rubble of the cart. After finding some broken objects he says to the group, "It's a merchant cart... and those, " he days looking back at the mess behind them, "must have been the merchants. " he continued, "search it." He says to the men as he finished his examination. The men dismounted t and began to search the rubble for anything interesting while the leader moved back to his horse and mounted it. He sat upon his horse, watching them search the rubble. He had a careful eye, making sure that looked under each board and in each chest. If something was interesting they tossed it off to the side and into a pile, if it was fragile they carried it. Though these things were insignificant in his eye. The man wanted gold, something of value. He wanted riches, but merchants never really had much besides a small sack of gold on them.

The man zoned out after some time as he had lost interest with the search and was ready to call the men off, that was until one of the men called his name. "BOSS!" the man shouted as he held up a board to reveal a small boy laying amongst the rubble. "I found a whole one in here. Not a smudge on the lad." He continued. The man lept from his board and proceeded to walk towards the small boy in the rubble, 'Now this was interesting' thought the man who lead the bandits. "What do we have here..." he said as he looked down at the unmoving child. "Are you sure it's alive?" He asks the men, "Yeah... he's a breathin." The one who found him replied, "At least that's what that looks like." He finished before backing away. The boss looked down at the boy and grinned, he had waited a long time do come across something of value he could sell, and slave labor was at the top of his list.

"Pick'em up, dust ' em off, so I can get a good look at him." He said, but before he had managed to finish the men had set to work moving the rest of the rubble away and then lifting the boy up and cleaning him of a bit. The boss looked at the child before him. He was small and lean, his eyes were hallow and his face blank. He could tell that the boy was in shock, and a simple glance backwards at the gore and devastation behind him told him why the boy was in such a state. "Boy..." The man said in a commanding voice, he was ignored by the small child, it was as if he had not been there. He tried once more, "BOY!..." he said again with much greater force and demand. The boy looked forward, blind to the man before him. The Boss grew anger at the boys insolence and obliviousness. The Boss held up a hand and swung hard at the boy, the back of his hand colliding with the boys check with a satisfying popping sound as the skin struck his. The strike caused the boy's eyes to widen as he fell down. He screamed, this was no ordinary scream of a child in pain. This was a scream of death, a scream of pure agony as the boy's mind came to once more

His scream echoed throughout the woods, the blood curdling scream, one that would be made only when something had been brutally dismembered and had survived only to see it's limbs strowed out before it. This was the noise of suffering, the pain of seeing everything the boy had once know torn from his life and devoured by unnatural beasts of darkness. The bandits had never heard this noise before. Their hands cupped their ears and their faces scrunched in agony as the noise that rippled through the once quite woods. The boy laid on the ground his face red and lungs running out of air. His screamed continued for what seemed to be forever as the men stumbled about, even the stern boss staggered about on his feet at the disturbing sound he heard. It's was only until the boy's breath ran out and that his mind slept and his body became calm that he had been able to stand straight though there was a ringing in his ears.

The boss looked around at his men as they gathered them selves, "Grab him and come on." He shouted as he was unable to fully hear himself due to the noise. He had every intention on keeping the lad. He needed him to sell, but until then he would be put to use. He would see what the boy was able to withstand, he had always wondered what it would be like to have a personal slave, especially one as broken as the boy was. The man would enjoy the tasks he had for the boy, there were things that only a child could do, no man or woman could do the things that would be forced upon him. The Boss smiled at the child with a devious grin. So many possibilities for just a small little kid who's scream was that of a siren.


	4. Shackles

The trip to the bandits' base was a long one, twisting through the trees of the forest they moved along. The forest was treacherous, but the bandits had been doing this for a long time. They knew the paths the Grimm took and knew how to avoid them. That is why the path was a twisting one; it was so y hey avoided the packs of Grimm in the forest rather than their own convince. So they went, in the protective layout they had been in before. Heavy armored men on horses up front, back, and on the sides while the lightly armored ranged fighters filled the insides of the formation. The leader, Cap'n as the men called him lead the mass of men. He led the men along the path they had taken many times before. The boy lay across the back of his saddle strapped to it tightly so that he wouldn't fall off the horse as they rode along. The Cap'n was careful with him, not wanting to lose a valuable find like the boy. He would even occasionally glance back at the boy to make sure he was still there and not close to slipping off.

His mind raced with the possibilities the boy could make, a single buyer could offer a substantial amount of Lien for the boy as a slave. Greed filled his mind as well as envy. The Cap'n was conflicted, having his own personal servant like the boy or the massive amount of Lien he would bring, he simply couldn't decide. Then he remembered something that he shouldn't have over looked, the black haired woman. She was the current bane of his existence, as was the small girl she carried with her. The black haired woman showed up and nearly took control almost a month ago and the small child she had was like her pet. The girl was even treated as such, occasionally locked in a pitch dark room alone for hours, maybe even days with no hint of light. He almost pitted the child, but it was beneath him to do so, and he had much bigger issues to attend to, such as keeping his men under his control. The woman had all but had them betray him. She would have them run errands for her and even raids on caravans that she had heard about from the small winged child. That was another thing, who was the small winged faunus that the woman ordered around like her own child.

The captain shook his head in distaste for the child, she was so odd. The girl was shy one moment and then poking a dead squirle the next, worse was it being that it had been killed and disfigured by the girl. She was an odd one, but the man hated the older one more. Nodding to himself he decided, he will keep the boy, and if opposed he would kill whoever it was who did the opposing. Smiling he rode on towards the base the decision set in his mind.

After some time they grew nearer and nearer to the place the bandit gang called home. It consisted of a cave that opened up into a cave system. Though it wasn't exactly a large one it served his men well. Supplying both shelter and protection from the elements and Grimm. The only issue was the entrance to the cave, it was wide and gapping. An Ursa could easily slip through the opening and into the cave and cause much destruction, but they had solved this issue by building a large steel gate that spread apart from a pulley system they had set up. The captain looked to the gate and waved to it, the men on the other side pulled a lever and the gate slide open, creaking loudly. He made a note that he would have to oil it.

Having dismounted the horse and grabbing the boy from the horse he walked to the back of the cave system where the black haired woman had set up. She had a large map, with strings running from place to place on the map. He had stared at it before and couldn't my sense of the jumbled mess of string. Cap'n stood behind the black haired woman some way back from her.

"uh..." He managed, hesitating with what he was going to say. He then looked at the passed out child on his shoulder and shrugged, shifting him on his shoulder before looking back at the female.

It was then that a small voice was heard, "Cinder... we've a visitor." The small girl said walking to her moths side hiding halfway behind her dress.

The woman didn't budge as she said, "I know child." To which the small girl replied, "But he's got something with him." She gestured to the boy on his shoulder.

The man looked to the boy again and tossed him to the ground between himself and Cinder. "I found a boy amongst the rubble of a cart that had been destroyed." He said in a deep, strong, and burly voice.

Cinder turned her body towards the man, tilting her head almost as if she was amused. "So you brought a corpse?" She asked sarcasticly.

The man looked from her to the boy and says, "No... I figures I sell the boy or keep him for work." He went on getting more and more nervous by the second. It didn't help when the boy moaned aloud and shifted on the ground.

Cinder looked to the boy on the ground and then the man as she strolled over to the child. "Did I not say kill anything that lived?" She asks the Cap'n. "Because did I not say to kill anything you found, even if it squirmed."

The Cap'n averted his gaze from Cinder's, he was unable to met her firey gaze as she walked towards him. "You... you did but I figured I could at least sell the lad... I thought I could..." He began to say before he was interrupted.

"DON'T THINK, OBEY!" She said in a calm but very commanding voice. She didn't yell, but she didn't need to as her louder tone did that for her.

The boy then rose up on his knees and attempted to lean up before his weak arms gaze out and he dropped to his stomach. Cinder watched the boy a grin on her face before she said, "Stand boy. "

The boy pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked around around at everyone there. His eyes focusing on the woman. Their eyes locked and they said nothing for a long time. Cinder continued to peer into the child's eyes, trying to find something there but found nothing. He was hollow, and empty husk.

She smiled and looked to the man, "You may keep him for now, but keep him alive." She said before turning and walking back to her desk.

Cap'n smiled and walked towards the boy, "Just keep ' em alive. I can manage that." He said lifting the boy up, who went without complaint. "You... are very lucky lad, like you've no idea." He carried the boy to where the Cap'n normally laid his head and considered his room. The area was open to the rest of the cave, but was roped of and held a dresser, a mattress and a lantern that light the area. Setting the boy down he thought to himself, " Alright boy, you from this point on are no longer a boy, you are a tool. A tool to be used by me and me alone, you got that?" The boy looked up, blanked face, and met the man's eyes. He didn't move other wise and continued looking him in the eye. The Cap'n stared into his eyes and grew a bit miffed by his gaze. The longer he stared the angry he got. Having stared long enough he swung his hand at the boy slapping him across the face and knocking him to the ground, "Never ever look me in the eye. You ain't good enough for that." He said firmly as he looked at the boy as he laid on the ground holding his check. The boy hand cried of whimpered. He simply looked back up at the man, though avoided eye contact. He pushed himself up rubbed his check before receiving another slap to the face that sent him sprawling to the ground. The man shouted at the boy this time, "You stand when I say stand." The boy remained still and waited for the man to order him to erect, still not crying or whimpering.

The man chuckled to himself, he knew this was going to be fun. He smiled at the child and rubbed the back of his hand, it hurt... a lot. His pain couldn't compare to what he knew the boy felt, and that only surprised him more because he knew that he was feeling it, but the boy didn't once even groan.

The man turned his back on the boy and looked out over the men, who were strong at work as the moved some of the findings of the day about. He looked them over carefully examining them as the moved crates. He did this for about a minute until he say the black haired woman, Cinder, and her hellion standing casually against a cave wall staring towards him but not at him. They were eyeing the boy, who had once again locked gaze with the firey woman.


	5. Hot Metal

Khajag had lost all track of time. He hadn't the slightest idea what day it was or even how long he had been with the captain. Minute blended with hours, days with weeks, it was all the same to him. All he knew was that when he woke he would continue doing what ever job he had been tasked with that caused him to pass out and from there he would continue to work until some time in the afternoon which was when the gang mounted up and headed out to search for something to pillage. That was the only time Khajag had time to rest, and possibly even play with Victoria.

The pair had formed simple games, Khajag's favorite so far was catch the frog. It was a game in which both he and Victoria would attempt to catch a frog. Victoria enjoyed killing the amphibian and cutting it up senselessly, it wasn't until she did that in front of Khajag that she began dissection. Victoria found this style of dismemberment both cleaner and more interesting compared to tearing the frog apart. Khajag would show her a way to cut something and she would duplicate it. He enjoyed teaching something he had learned from one of his parent's many books and she liked learning how to kill things and pull them apart.

The only time Victoria didn't play the game was when her mother, Cinder, was taking a break from her intricate planning sessions. The tall woman would come out into the main area when the men weren't around and rest, whether that be sitting down and having a meal or just relaxing in a chair or bed. Khajag found the woman interesting, her blazing eyes and calm demeanor. He liked the woman, seeing her as the most intelligent out of all the bandit gang. Though she wasn't the leader of the group she could likely be one if she wanted to. Khajag only saw the woman on those rare occasions though, he would watch her and sometimes he would catch her staring at him or even the two would lock eyes and not budge or move for several seconds or even minutes. Dead locked their stare made the area feel off, as if unnatural forces were at odds. Victoria, who was already terrified of her mother did not stay around to catch the feeling when the two would do this bizarre action of staring. She once told Khajag that, the room feels dark and hot even when she could see and know it was cold. Khajag didn't know exactly what it meant but it only made him more curious about the tall dark haired woman.

However, when the men were at the base and resting things were different, much different. Khajag would be the subject of many displeasures. Many of the men felt him to be a perfect practice doll. The would simply had the boy a stick and train against him, striking him as they pleased as hard as they pleased. The men saw him as a tool, several used the biy as a literal foot stool when sitting in a chair. However, none of these things matched how brutal the captain could be. He would take his anger and frustration at the men out upon him. Khajag had been chained to a large pillar outside the cave and been beaten with a pole or rod. These beatings would continue until there was little room left on the boy's back that hadn't been blackened or was bleeding. The Cap'n after running out of energy or coming out of his frustrated state would unchained the boy and leave him to lay on the ground unconscious.

It was Victoria who would go to Khajag and doctor him. She knew enough about bandaging that she could bandage the boys back and stop the bleeding mostly. The issue was that Khajag would almost always be unconscious and unable to move. The girl would have to do this with no aid from anyone as they didn't care to help the boy simply because he was a tool. Victoria would wrap gauze around the boys torso and apply a simple antibiotic to prevent infection. The girl only did this because he was the only thing she could play with, Khajag was fun. He was more fun than the frogs, at least that is what she told him. Khajag suspected that there was an alternate reason behind her intentions but it was only a suspicious and he was only dive years of age. His mind didn't quite wrap around that she could have been told to do something, instead he assumed that despite her words she really liked him. He figured she thought of him as a good friends and that she bandaged him because she wanted him to be able to teach her more about frogs.

These beatings didn't happen as often as the training sessions he would have with the men. Lucky him they weren't because the Cap'n was only growing more and more harsh each time Khajag was chained to the pillar outside. Though at least the daily work had begun to cut down for Khajag, there was a noticeable shortage of crates in the main area of the bandit hide out. Khajag knew this and thought it weird, for the men left more and more and normal they would bring more and more crates. Khajag however, did not complain that there were less things to move. He did however have a large issue with being chained to the pillar a little more often. He felt the strike of the rod or pole increase. He knew that something was wrong but he could not place his finger on it. But his think was only hundred with each strike to his back. With each strike brought a large scream from the small boys large lungs. Even Cinder, the black haired woman could hear these screams, she had even gone so far as to walk out into the main area and even leave the cave to watch the boy. It was there she found the Cap'n slamming a metal rod into the boys now bleeding back. The woman thought nothing of it until she turned her back and began to walk away and into the cave. Only when the woman was half way did she hear a bizarre noise. Instead of a 'smack' and a shout, it was a 'Clank' and a scream.

The woman turned and went back to the scene where she saw her daughter lay on the ground with the rod beside her. Cinder looked shocked and soon turned to the much larger Cap'n.

The man looked at Cinder and his face went pale the instant he saw the pure rage in her face. Her eyes blazing with fire and her hands flowing intensely.

"I...I... Cinder I'm..." The man begun though never managed to finish as his entire body engulfed in flame. Cinder held the blaze on his for a moment before turning away to see the entire bandit gang standing at the mouth of the cave staring at her, some in anger and others in disbelief.

It wasn't until one of the men shouted, "Get her, she killed Cap'n, " that they moved. The men to on arms, drawing their blades and clubs and other assortment of weapons and charged the woman. The men bellowed a rallying cry as the pressed forwards towards the black haired female. Rage was still in her eye as she twisted her body and unleashed a scorching wave of red fury upon the horde. Screams echoed out through the wood as the men were reduced to chard corpses just like their leader.

Cinder then stop a moment, almost hesitant. Her gaze slowly drifting towards her daughter as she lay on the ground. Her blazing eyes settled on the body of her unmoving daughter and she froze. Even the wind stood still as she looked upon her. Time all but stopped and only until a sine cough was heard and the body shook did it seem to resume. Victoria shifted and moved, sitting up as she began coughing harshly. Cinder sighed a moment before she walked over to the girl to look down upon her, the woman's eyes an inferno. Victoria looked up and quickly rose to her feet as she noticed Cinder. Cinder stared at where the girl had been struck and saw movement on the side of her head as it began to fill out again. Cinder spoke to the girl in a smooth and calm voice, "Get your things, it is time to leave." Victoria then rushed off to grab her knives and and and a single extra dress.

The moment Victoria had returned Cinder had begun to walk off intent on leaving the place behind. Though she stopped and looked backwards as she heard the jiggling sound of chains. It was Victoria pulling at the chains that bound Khajag to the pillar. Cinder moved to the girl and stood quietly behind her as she watched her struggle with the metal. "Victoria... we are to leave." She said simply only to be looked at by Victoria, "But..." She spoke only to be met with a hand to the side of the cheek. Victoria feel to the ground holding the spot. The sound of flesh on flesh shook Khajag. His form shifted and he groaned at both pain and confusion. He attempted to stand but the wounds on his back prevented him to do so. Cinder looked down at the boy considering torching him like she did the others. It wasn't until Khajag opened his eyes and looked up at the woman did her hands set a light with fire and press into the chains. The heat pushed deep into the metal and melted it. The chains fell to the ground and Khajag with it. The woman did not know why she did this, but she did. She released the boy after making eye contact and she could not bring herself to an answer.

"Victoria, I must grab some things from the cave, wait here." Cinder said as she marched into the cave. This gave Victoria the time she needed to bandage Khajag, his wounds were not quite as serious as they normally were but they still required doctoring. The gauze was applied where it was needed and after several minute Khajag could stand. He waited beside Victoria and waited for Cinder to exit the cave. The dark haired woman did this some time later, a bag in her hand she walked out of the mouth of the cave and held up a hand. The gesture was simple as she walked forward. She tossed the bag to Victoria who caught it and turned to match her mother's pass. Cinder paid Khajag no attention, having not even recognized that he was there.

The trio walked forward several yards before Cinder lowered her hand. With the action the cave exploded into fire as a sort of detonation was triggered by her motion. The ground shook but the trio continued forward in silence, a silence that was only broken when Victoria asked, "Mother, where are we going? " Cinder, without a change of pace or a change of posture said in a calm and smooth voice that hinted of something extra, "We have a doctors appointment that we are due in for."


	6. The Fox and the Hare

Cinder, Victoria, and Khajag continued forward, walking along through the forest. At least a hour had passed since the cave exploded and the bandits torched. Since then all it had been was walking. Victoria and Khajag stuck close together as they followed Cinder, unsure of where they were going but following her nonetheless. Khajag looked around at the trees and birds as they sang in the foliage of the forest. His mind focused in on their beautiful whistling though his body focused on walking.

Victoria began skipping beside him, obviously bored with the simple walking. Cinder looked backwards slightly and in that instant Victoria returned to the regular walking. This sudden change broke Khajag out of his zoned out state. He looked to Victoria puzzled slightly, the girl just ignored him and looked ahead and walked forward.

After some time the trio entered a clearing, passing through the trees and into a large luscious field. The only thing off about the field was a large aircraft sitting in the middle of it. Cinder and Victoria walked forward calmly, unphased by the construct of steel. Khajag however stopped in his tracks and stared at it in awe. Victoria stopped and waved to him eagerly as Cinder continued to approach the vessel. Khajag looked and moved quickly to Victoria who led him aboard the ship. A silver haired man greeted Cinder and held the door open to allow the trio aboard the ship.

"Cinder, we're you succesful?" The man asked the dark haired woman. He too hadn't even looked at Khajag, however his eyes did shift between Cinder and Victoria, the two sitting beside one another and Khajag beside Victoria though having some distance between them. The woman then answered, "No, there was a... development that had to be addressed," she said calmly turning her head slightly to the left towards both Victoria and Khajag. It was then that the silver haired man glanced to Khajag. "I assume Emerald is at the wheel?" Cinder said to the man who replied in a tired sounding voice, "Yes, the old man is up there with her," Cinder only nodded and returned to staring straight ahead, waiting on them to arrive at the base. Though after some time she spoke up and said, "I will check on the girl and then we must go see the doctor, have a plane ready to leave when I finish with the girl," the man looked to a digital clock in the hull of the ship and said, "We are almost there. It should be in view now," he finished. Near the same moment a feminine voice came up over the intercom of the ship, "We are landing now." The voice said and not long after, the vessel proceeded to landed infront of an old warehouse in midst of the forest.

The engines buzzing like sound soon shut off as the craft shook having landed on the ground in front of the warehouse. Standing, was the silver haired man who opened the door. Cinder stood quickly and walked off the craft, she was followed by both Khajag and Victoria and once the exited the door closed and the silver haired man walked behind him, and behind him walked a female with dark skin and bizarre green hair, along side her walked a formal looking man with a cane and bowl shaped hat. Khajag, looking back at the duo walking some distance behind him, he noted them and they did the same to him both having almost simultaneously looked at him and met his gaze. Both man and woman peered into his eyes deeply and Khajag did the same to thiers, his gaze unwavering unlike the female who broke contact as she walked. The man however lasted much longer, his eyes pressing deep into Khajag's blank gaze, though even the man couldn't match the stare and soon broke away himself.

The doors to the warehouse opened up as they approached. The door was held open by a muscular man. The man had a pristine white shirt along with a black vest. Red sunglasses were perched on his nose. The man looked to the man who wore the bowl shaped hat and said, "You owe me one. The girl was getting a little jumpy." Having said as smile formed on his face and he gave a small chuckle, though the man he had addressed simply said, "Yes, yes... all will be taken care of." He did not seem interested in what the man had said and the green haired girl rolled her eyes at he who wore the glasses.

Having entered the building Khajag looked around. There was a large open space though it had several walls that separated thing and a cat walk that lead to a second floor. He followed Victoria who followed Cinder, behind him walked the two men and the woman. The woman glanced back down at Khajag though did not make eye contact for he faced forward. She seemed to examine him, she found it odd that the boy was shirtless considering the cold and even more so that he bore massive bandages on his back. The boys pants were tattered and ruined and his shoes even worse, what remained of them that is.

The group soon entered a large room. The room had a large table in it's middle along with a massive map of Remnant on it. Points were marked on it with push pins and the occasional strand of string ran from point to point. Cinder turned as she rounded the corner of the table. "Emerald, take Victoria and the boy to her quarters," she said and without hesitation the woman obeyed and began to lead the small pair to a room down a hall. The woman walked forward quickly and in turn both Khajag and Victoria moved as fast and soon the came to a door which the woman opened and entered, "I suggest you sleep. According to Mercury you will be leaving tomorrow morning, early." The girl said in a soothing voice and ushered the pair inside.

The inside of the room was simple, a single bed with blankets and a pillow, a small chair and desk along with a lamp. Victoria's room was basic, but more than Khajag ever had. He walked around the room, getting a feel for the place until Victoria spoke up, "Heh Kaj, you okay to sleep on the floor right?" She said moving to the bed and crawling into it. The bed bounced slightly with her movement on it, it squeaked as it moved up and down. Khajag then looked to the girl, "Yeah, I should be good." He said laying down on the small rug Victoria had in the room. He closed his eyes and listened as Victoria shifted in the squeaking bed, the rhythmic sound lulling him to sleep.

Khajag didnt dream at all as he slept, though that was only for a few hours as he soon awoke to the faint sound of something whistling. His eye popped open, adjusting to the dark of the room. He listened more as the whistle became a muffled scream, though only faint, very faint. He wanted a moment before he stood and looked to Victoria who hadn't moved, her breathing an indication as to her comatose sleep. He then looked to the door, moving carefully to it and exiting the room through it and into the hall. The scream was louder now, and seemed to be originating from down the hall in another room. Khajag looked curiously at the noise and moved towards it, walking with soft steps. The screaming only got louder and louder as he moved along, and after several minutes he came to a cracked door. A light would flash and then the scream would echo out. Khajag could see the flash through the door frame where it hadn't been touched. He moved his head to peer through it as the light flashed again, it's white flair shining out and then the scream blared. Khajag could see only a little of the scene, Cinder stood casually with a bizarre device in her hands as she looked forward at some person. All he could see about this person was that it was indeed female and that the girl had brown hair and what looked to be ears coming of the top of her head. The appendages simply hung at the sides drooping to the ground. "I'll ask one last time, where is she." Cinder said though soon turned to look at the door and managed to spot Khajag's peering eye. She said nothing and did nothing but simply walked to the door and push it closed. Khajag from that point post onward could hear only a muffle, it was soon followed by a bright flash and and a long drawn out scream. A clattering noise was then heard along with footsteps which seemed to move towards the door.

Khajag moved to the side and pressed himself against the wall as Cinder exited the room and turned to lock it, only give the hint of a glance at the boy as she leaned back up and moved down the hall. Khajag watched her move and not long after the woman was out of sight did he move back to the room only to resume sleeping, thiugh the image of the torture still on his mind.

Morning soon called and Khajag awoke at what time he normally did, early, early enough to hear the birds calling out and awakening. As he stood Emerald opened the door and looked to him and then from him to Victoria who still slept. She moved to the girl and shook the little winged faunus awake. "Victoria, get moving," she said to the girl as she soon stirred and threw her feet off the side of the bed. "Hurry up and get to the plane, we're going to the lab today,"she finished and soon left the room. Khajag waited for Victoria to ready herself, having put new cloths on she walked out the door and lead Khajag to the jet, which was only just starting up. Cinder had just opened the door and climbed into it as the jet finished start up and not long after both Khajag and Victoria climbed into it.

The plane lifted just as they took their seats, Victoria by her mother and Khajag opposite of Cinder. The woman stared straight ahead, seeming to look right through the hull of the ship, and Khajag seemed to do the same but in the direction of her. The pair remained this way as the ship moved along, Victoria however shifted and moved in her sear unable to get comfortable. The ride was simple in the matter of action, though took an interesting turn when the aircraft hit turbulence, the passangers, that being Cinder, Victoria, and Khajag were violently jostled in the back of the craft. Their bodies tossed around in thier buckled seats. Once the turbulence had let off they each looked to the front of the vessel and then resumed thier previous actions, each one staring and one moving. Though Khajag and Cinder didn't stare into nothing, their eyes met this time, and once more they stared into the others eyes. Khajag looking into Cinder's burning gaze and Cinder into Khajag's blank and dark stare. Neither one moved or shifted other than the occasional blink. This happening made Victoria shift and move more as the air grew unpleasent in the passenger area. It felt shot, like a fire was between them, but it also gave the feeling of darkness, like there was no light in the area, as if they were cast into an abyss. They pair stayed like this for several several minutes, until it was announce that they would be landing soon, it was Cinder who broke the meeting, but seemed resilient to do so. She looked over to the front of the ship and waited for the landing to start.

The ship landed and the crew stepped off, Emerald stayed aboard so that she may start the aircraft up when Cinder decided to leave. The facility they landed in front of was a small one, nearly half the size of the warehouse, but much more active. Guards lined a fence that surrounded the building they had landed beside. The place was offsetting, it made Khajag feel off, like this wasn't a nice place, it being worse than the bandit camp he had endured. But he followed Victoria who followed Cinder. Cinder stopped and a door and waited. She looked over it and took a card from her person and swiped it through a scanner. The door then buzzed and Cinder opened it, it creaked with age but allowed the trio through. Once inside they entered into a plastic box. The box has yellow tape lining it and a man in a booth near it. A intercom sounded, "I assume you are here to see the Doctor then, I must clean you first," he said without waiting for an answer. A light flashed in the cell and a mist poured out of it. It washed over their bodies and soon filled the chamber. The mist was soothing but soon reached the wounds on Khajag's back. It entered the wounds and began cleaning them, his back arched slightly and his brow furrowed in a wince as the mist stung the injuries. A moment of this and the mist dissipated and the pain in Khajag's back subsided and felt many times better than before. "Follow the man and he will lead you to the Doctor, "the voice on the intercom spoke as the doors on the opposite side of the cell opened to allow them out.

Cinder and the other two walked forward, a man in a padded lab coat leading them through the building. The building had many hallways and even a couple different stair cases that seemed to go down and into the ground. Khajag walked by many doors and saw names and numbers on them, the numbers went all the way to eleven, six doors with names on one side and five on the other, though the hall had several more, twenty by his count, ten on each side. At the very end of the hall was another door, a dead end minus the door. The door was large and thick from what he could see. Cinder moved and swiped the card in another device and the door buzzed and released air and slid apart to reveal a room lined with pods, most of which were empty, except for one. That one contained a small child, tunes and such stemmed from his body to the sides of the pod and those into machines. Khajag only had a brief look at him when a voice chimed up, "Vhy ello Cinder." A man in a rolling chair slide to them from a desk. The man in the chair was obviously faunus, he bore a pair of dog like ears and his finger nails wee abnormally shaped, coming to a tip at the end of his finger.

Cinder then spoke, "Doctor, I have brought you a gift." She said pushing Victoria forward towards the man. The man rolled his chair around her and soon spoke, "Cinder, I am not into children, unless you mean for me to see vhat vork can be done to her. If zat is so... zen.. I am very interested."The man's words sounded eerie, as if they had a hidden message in them. Cinder thought a moment and answered, "Yes. I have seen something interesting in her that I will let you see for yourself." The doctor nodded and took her face in his hands and peered into her eyes and shook his head, a smile curling on his lips. The doctor having looked deep into her eyes soon spotted Khajag and released Victoria to move to him, "Vhat about zis one, is he available, he doesn't seem like much... but I guarantee I could find a good use for him," he continued as he rotated around Khajag's body soon taking his face in his hand and looking into his own blank eyes the same way he did Victoria. Cinder shook her head, "The boy is simply a pet for Victoria, he is nothing, not worth your time." She said with slight agitation in her voice. The doctor simple stared into Khajag's dark blue eyes and said nothing for several moments, but when he finally spoke he said, "Yes I see..." He said crypricaly and nearly threw Khajag's face from his hand.

The doctor chuckled and rolled his chair around Victoria once more, who was shifting in her spot even more. The doctor pulled and flexed the girls wings and examined her arms and even her teeth, "Hmmm... zere is potential in her, zat is... if I can tap into it." He then rolled his chair towards Cinder and looked up at her his smile stapled to his face, "Ve vill begin immediately, chamber seventeen is clean, ve vill take her zere." With that said the man stood, his form coming to tower over Cinder, "Zis bill be fun don't zink?" The man said to her as he moved and took Victoria by the hand and made his way deeper into the building chuckling softly to himself with the thought of what could come from this.


	7. Stitches

The man and Victoria had been gone for hour. Khajag had grown incredibly restless as time passed, though there was little he could do about it. The Doctor had had him taken into a lobby like room. The room was small and held few chairs, but the chairs were nice. Cloth seating with a very nice cushion and back support. Khajag could fall asleep in such a thing, though not with the men in weird costumes walking by the window every now and then. The men wore big yellow plastic looking things, these suits creeper Khajag out, he hadn't the softest idea what they were and this didn't settle well with in him. None of the scene did, him sitting alone in the room while the bizarre and notably creepy doctor man had Victoria. He hated this idea of idleness, in fact he despised sitting in the chair as he began to think.

Khajag stood, looking out the window he cautiously made his way to the door of the lobby like room. His hands shook with nervous energy, scared slightly at what he was planning on doing, he didn't know the consequences of what he was about to do but he could guess that it would not be pleasurable in any instance. Khajag placed his hand on the handle of the door, it steadying as he had and anchor to hold it still. Taking a deep breath Khajag pulled down on the handle and after a moment a click was heard and the door popped open. He place an open eyes against the crack and looked out into the metal hallway. From his perspective the area was clear, and it wasn't until he pokes his head out into the corridor that he truly knew that it was clear.

The air in the hallway was colder than that of the lobby like room. Small bumps formed on his still bare torso as he stepped out into the hallway, his barefoot tasting the bite of the cold metal grating that was the floor. Khajag had no shoes for they had been taken from his as they were loose and unmanageable and a safety hazard'. The same had been done with the bandages that covered his back, but those were not as big an issue as having something beneath his feet. His back had mostly healed, it was slightly tender to the touch and scabs still speckled it but it was bizarrely healed to a faster degree than it should have been.

The door clicked close behind him, sounding his full exit of the lobby like room. Khajag turned his head to check behind him, still a bit off set on how the scene felt and wanted to check for a sure clear. His eyes watched the back half of the corridor for several moments before he was ready to move along. Khajag took a deep and long breath, sucking in the cold air of the hall and began making his way forward. Each still the cold metal beneath him made his feet sting to some degree but it was minor.

After several moment he finally made it to the end of the hall and was faced with a decision, left or right. A sign was place in the middle of the wall that created the dead end. It's words were large and easy to read, 'Left- Labs 1-10 and Cafeteria' 'Right- Labs 11-20, Main floor, and Security', Victoria had been sent to testing room seventeen. With this in mind Khajag turned right, whether or not this was the wrong choice he would have to find out for himself. The coming hall was large and wide, doors lined each side and 8th looked quite familiar, but after walking down it it proved to be a different hall than the one that lead to the strange doctors tube chamber. This hall also had a long corridor and a dead end with a sign that read, 'Left- Labs 16-20' 'Right- Labs 11-15, Main floor, and Security'. Khajag this time turned left, his feet going numb with each step on the ice like grating.

The hall he had turned to was short, many times shorter than the previous ones he had gone down. And after only a few step he came to a large metal door. The area in front of hit had a solid ground, almost like a floor mate but completely metal. Upon Khajag stepping into it the door slid open, parting in the middle. It revealed a large room, with several tables and monitors. The floor in this room was solid and still metal. Khajag passed into the room and looked around, the area was empty. There was a hall on the left side of the room there was a light with the number '17' was lit up beside the passage Seventeen was the lab the doctor had said to take Victoria, Khajag turned and moved to the corridor and walked down it, the sound of something buzzing became audible as he moved further down it. Khajag looked to a door, '16' was painted on the front. Seventeen should be just ahead, he concludes with silent thought as he moves forward. The buzzing noise became louder with each step and he soon reached a door that read '17'. The door was large and solid, showing no sign of opening. The buzzing noise emanated from inside and after and moment a scream came out, a tiny child like scream. Khajag hit the door with a fist, knocking on it hard but to no avail as the screaming continued.

A moment passed after Khajag grew quite. The screaming would subside as soon as soon the buzzing did and then would pick up not long after the buzzing started back up again. This continued for several minutes, Khajag just leaned against the door growing distressed with each session. Though it wasn't until he heard the pounding of something just down the hall that he moved. "WHAT IS IT!"a familiar voice shouted. Khajag peered in the direction of the noise and waited to see what it was. Suddenly a click was made beside him and the metal door slid open. Khajag jumped back, startled by the happening. It was the doctor, he stepped out of the chamber, seemingly having having not noticed Khajag and moved past him towards the the place the noise had came from. From what he saw, the doctor did not use a very pleased look on his face. As he walked Khajag followed in his foot steps and entered a room adjacent to to the one the do buzzing came from. Cinder stood, her posture expressing extreme displeasure.

Khajag stood behind the doctor, near the door as he began to speak, "She cannot be part part of part of the project. Her biology isn't allowing it," he said nervously to Cinder, who seemed to be growing more and more agitated with each word he said.

"What. Do. You. Mean. Not. Allowing. It." Cinder spoke in a very hard and angry voice. "Vell, it zeems ve cannot perform the procedures on her because her anatomy heals over our work." The doctor continue, "So your telling that Doctor Gigas Vulfenstein is conceding to my pathetic excuse of a daughter simply because she has a healing ability." Cinder commented sarcastically to the man though still sounded quite ill with him. Vulfenstein went silent, as if thinking to himself, "Well if you truly need the work done then perhaps we can arrange another subject." Vulfenstein said in a devious voice they likely had an alternate meaning. Cinder also paused a moment, thinking of what his words meant,"You mean if there was another... child?" Cinder asked the man smiling to herself. "Yes, if zere vas but one more child, such as ze one standing behind me right now ve could continue but little to no issues." The doctor said before turning to Khajag and

looking down at him with a disturbing disturbing and curled smile.

"He vould need for ze experiment. Just ze boy," the doctor finished. Only a few seconds later did Cinder say, "Take him. The boy is an inconvenience to me as he is. Make him useful." She said, and with that the doctor pulled syringe from his pocket and looked at Khajag who who went wide eyed and tend exited the room in and tend rush. Vulfenstein smiled to himself and watched him run, knowing that escape was impossible. He looked to an noted small red button on the wall and pressed it, a siren blared and calling for an immediate lockdown of the facility. Khajag hadn't even are it to the end of the corridor before a thick metal door slammed shut. Khajag drove into it, his body bouncing off at it. His fists pounded and pulled as immediate the sliding door trying to open it before before a sharp pain formed in his neck as a tranquilizer dart stuck into his skin. Khajag punted away at the door door for several seconds before his limbs felt heavy and he slide to the floor, the last thing him seeing was Cinder and the strange doctor standing over him.

Light flooded into his fluttering eyes as he woke. His vision blurred though soon clearing to come to see a white wall and several large machines with bizarre appendages. The appendages if he startled him, he jerked and twisted his body but came to find he was bound by leather straps to a steel table. His body contorted and twisted trying to free himself but failed and each attempt. He groans in agitation at the inescapable bindings. As he struggled struggled a door opened up and the doctor stepped in, "Ah... Good morning... Number 6. It seems you are more conscious zan I hoped you would be. But, alas, zis vill do." He said snapping a pair of rubber grooves on his hands and patting Khajag's bare stomach. It was strength he realized he was naked and that it was likely he would be experiencing the same tests Victoria had endured. "It seems your time for a checkup vith ze good doctor has come, No?" He asks him as he flipped flipped a switch that began the machines and the loud buzzing sound. The machines shifted and whirled and moment before and a strap was pulled tight against his torso, holding him tight against the table. The machines then moves and rotated towards Khajag who released released a blood curdling scream once more.


End file.
